Cheltenham Festival 2027: Dates, Airports and Helicopter Options

The Cheltenham Festival 2027 dates are Tuesday, March 16, to Friday, March 19, 2027, at Cheltenham Racecourse in Prestbury Park, Gloucestershire, England. The four days build to the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup on the Friday, which The Jockey Club, owner of the course, calls "the jewel in Jump Racing's crown."

• Dates: Tuesday, March 16, to Friday, March 19, 2027
• Gates: open at 10:30 each day; first race at 13:20 and last race at 17:20 (UK time)
• Venue: Cheltenham Racecourse, Prestbury Park, Evesham Road, Cheltenham GL50 4SH
• Helicopters: the racecourse accepts raceday helicopter arrivals, which must be pre-booked

Cheltenham Festival 2027 dates and race schedule

The Jockey Club's 2027 race schedule gives each day a name and a feature race, all scheduled for 16:00:

• Champion Day, Tuesday, March 16: the Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1), one of seven races on the opening card
• Ladies Day, Wednesday, March 17: the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1), run over about two miles
• St Patrick's Thursday, March 18: the Ryanair Chase (Grade 1), with the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle at 15:20
• Gold Cup Day, Friday, March 19: the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, run over three miles and two furlongs, according to the schedule

The event page also notes the Prestbury Cup, the running contest between British-trained and Irish-trained winners across the week, and The Orchard, an area open to Club Enclosure ticket holders.

Tickets, hospitality and parking

Tickets are sold through the official Festival ticket page, and the course runs a separate dining and hospitality section with packages for 2027. The ticket pages we reviewed do not state Festival prices in their text, so check the current figures there before you fix your travel days. If anyone in your party is driving, the travel page is clear that Festival car parking passes must be bought before the day: "There will be no on the day sales." Minibuses, coaches and limousines need a coach parking pass bought in advance.

What to wear to the Cheltenham Festival

The schedule page says "there isn't an official dress code" for the Festival, though smart clothing is preferred and widely adopted. The racecourse's general dress guidance asks racegoers to come "dressed to feel your best" and mentions jeans and clean trainers as one option alongside suits and dresses, so jeans are not banned. It asks guests not to wear team kits and warns that offensive fancy dress may be refused entry. Much of the course is uncovered, and the guidance suggests layers and an umbrella in March.

Helicopter to the Cheltenham Festival

Cheltenham is unusual in how many guests arrive by air. According to the racecourse's travel page, it "operates the busiest temporary airfield in the UK," receiving 400 flights over Festival week. It welcomes helicopters on every raceday, but "all visiting aircraft must pre-book landings" with its partners. If you plan to fly into a nearby airport and finish by helicopter, ask your provider who holds the landing booking and how the timing works around the last race at 17:20.

Which airport is closest to Cheltenham Racecourse?

Gloucestershire Airport at Staverton (ICAO EGBJ) describes itself as located between Gloucester and Cheltenham and "only a 3 minute drive from the M5 and A40." Its operating hours page says hours can vary and points pilots to NOTAMs; flights outside published hours can sometimes be accepted, subject to air traffic control and fire service availability, with a surcharge. The airport also notes Volume of Traffic Management rules in force since February 14, 2025. None of this addresses Festival week specifically, and we make no claim about parking or traffic conditions during it.

Larger jets may need a bigger airport farther away, which means a longer drive or a helicopter leg. If your trip starts or ends in the capital, our London private jet page lists providers there. For the trade-offs between a close small airfield and a larger one, see How to Choose a Private Jet Departure Airport Near a Major City. Visitors staying outside town can also use the Jockey Club's page on commutable travel areas when choosing hotels.

What to confirm with your provider

• Can your aircraft use Gloucestershire Airport, and what are its hours on the days you plan to arrive and leave?
• If you want a helicopter leg to the course, who pre-books the racecourse landing, and what happens if weather prevents it?
• How long is the road transfer from your arrival airport to Prestbury Park on a raceday morning, and who arranges the car or parking pass?
• Which alternate airport is planned if your first choice is unavailable?
• How would a departure after the last race at 17:20 fit the airport's hours and any out-of-hours surcharge?
• What are the change and cancellation terms if you add or drop a raceday?

Full race times, tickets and travel notes are on the official Cheltenham Festival site. Explore private jet providers on PJReviews.com and compare provider reviews before you book.

Photo: David P Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0, source.